Smile, damn you- Smile!（你給我笑！）
by RK the Hidden
Summary: "So, have we ever talked about what makes you happy?" "I'm not sure, but probably not. But if we had spent less time arguing about food then we might have had." "Ha-ha. Ha-ha." For a second, he was tempted to bring up the "Beef-Jerky-Verses-Lamb-Roast" debate, but instead, he said, "Alright then, maybe we can start talking about what you like now." JL61 Arles/Qiaon.


Qiaon frowned as he looked at Arles's face; He didn't actually hate him- he never did. He only hated how he could never seem to get the other to laugh.

It wasn't really that big of a step for the both of them to take when Qiaon had first suggested that the two of them try out a relationship; after-all, both were already close friends with the other to begin with. The two of them didn't necessarily shower each other with kisses in public (Qiaon had to admit that that would have been overkill), but their touches had been more affectionate- aside from holding hands, the two also shared a lot of light caresses from each other; Nearly three months into their relationship and Qiaon still loved it when Arles petted him, and although Arles hadn't expressed much of his thoughts concerning this matter, Qiaon knew he wouldn't have continuously done so for the past months if he didn't enjoy it himself.

Come to think of it, Arles really treated him well over the past months- not to say that he was terrible to Qiaon prior to their relationship, but he was that much more caring and concerned of Qiaon's well-being to the point where his actions could have been classified as being obsessed, but Arles had not once over stepped any boundaries of sorts as of yet, so Qiaon found no real need to concern the two of them with that as well.

Now, if only he could do something for him in return- Maybe make him lighten up once in a while, then it would be perfect! Qiaon didn't mind Arles's seriousness, but he was so damn serious all of the damn time that Qiaon wondered if Arles ever learned to laugh or at the very least, smile as a young child. It took Qiaon another few seconds to remember that Arles did in fact know how to smile- Qiaon remembered that one time where Arles's lips had tugged up into a soft smile when his adoptive mother, Maria, had been cured of her fatal disease, and Arles probably smiled for about ten seconds before his expression returned to that of his "default-light-frown-expression". No wonder Qiaon always questioned Arles's ability to laugh- his own adoptive mother, who had been lying on her death bed, cured, and the damn bastard smiles for ten seconds, and that was it. End of story. He could have at least broken out the drinks or something- Anything!

Qiaon sighed as he stretched himself across the couch, hogging up all the space he could (and Arles's lap). Looking up, he saw that Arles was reading yet another book written in ancient script- a language which, although the characters looked similar to their spoken language as of date, they were arranged in such an ungodly order that few understood what it meant- not to mention, some characters ended up with entirely different meanings when written in ancient script. How Arles can read such script with only a light frown was beyond him, and if Qiaon could have his way, he would have snatched the book up and tossed it over his shoulders so he wouldn't have to set his eyes on it for another moment. The only thing stopping him from doing so was that Arles actually seemed interested in the damn thing, and throwing the trash were it belonged would probably provoke a negative response from the other.

"So, have we ever talked about what makes you happy?" Qiaon tried, straight-forward as ever.

"I'm not sure, but probably not." Arles replied, eyes still fixated on his book. "But if we had spent less time arguing about food then we might have had."

"Ha-ha. Ha-ha." Qiaon laughed monotonously. For a second, he was tempted to bring up the "Beef-Jerky-Verses-Lamb-Roast" debate, but instead, he said, "Alright then, maybe we can start talking about what you like now." At this, Arles looked up from his reading material and thought about the question.

'Figures.' Qiaon thought, 'He's so serious that he has to _think_ before deciding what he likes.' Somehow, he managed to keep this thought to himself, though.

"I'm not sure." Arles finally said. "I just like thinking about things, I guess."

"Really? Really! That's _SO_ lame!" Qiaon said, making a face. "And that doesn't count- You do it all the time, and you don't look any happier, so I don't think it should count anyways."

"You asked me what I liked, I gave you an answer." Arles looked slightly annoyed, "Why did you ask if you were just going to bash me for it anyways?"

"You don't look happy when you think."

"Who says I'm not happy?"

"You're missing the point! You don't _look_ happy!" Qiaon cried, bringing one hand to push the offending book away from the other's face, and using the other hand to push himself up so he could sit on Arles's lap. "Would it kill you to smile, damnit?"

Arles rolled his sapphire eyes, "Unlike you, I don't feel like grinning unless I really have a reason to, so you'll have to excuse me when I don't laugh at every single word you say."

Golden eyes narrowed in reply. "Oh, I'll find what makes you 'tick', alright. There has to be something you find funny, and I'll beat it until the joke gets old and beat it until it becomes funny again, you hear me?" Qiaon said, poking the base of Arles's neck for emphasis, but accidentally brushing the tip of his claw down Arles's neck and along his shoulder blades, and Qiaon nearly gasped as a small sound escaped Arles's throat, while the corner of his lips had twitched into a slight grin for a moment before pulling back down into a light frown.

"No way!" Qiaon cried, somewhat shocked, yet sounding oddly pleased, "You're ticklish!"

Arles wasn't given a chance to defend himself- The next few moments found him roaring with laughter as the red-head grabbed him by the waist and tackled him onto the couch, tickling his hips and belly, with Arles trying (and failing) to fend off his attacker.

"Shit- hee hee hee, Stop that! Haha- Godamnit, hee hee hee, Qiaon stop- Hahaha! I mean it- _Fuck!_ Hahahahaha! Okay, okay, Stop- Damnit STOP!"

When the redhead had finally decided to show mercy to his 'victim', both were now laying flat down on the couch; with Qiaon on top of Arles as the other was still gasping and wheezing from excessive laughing. Qiaon sat up, just realizing that the two of them had nearly fell off the couch from his attack, but two powerful hands grabbed his shoulders, and Qiaon yelped in surprise and slight shock as Arles flipped him over- onto the floor, landing on his back- and knelt over him, claws digging into his shoulders firmly, stopping the redhead from attempting to get up. Recovering from his shock, Qiaon looked up and instantly recognized Arles's 'I'm annoyed/angry/disappointed/What-should-I-do-with-you' look; narrowed blue eyes accompanied with a light snarl, showing off just the tips of Arles's canine teeth.

Qiaon only smiled at him.

"Ha. Made you curse."

"Firstly." Arles started, the harshness of his voice making the redhead shiver. "You cannot tell anyone- _Anyone_- or god forbid I _will_ do you in."

Qiaon gulped. "Okay. Yeah, I can do that..."

"Secondly." Arles cut him off. "You cannot do that in public. Never. No exceptions."

"No P.D.A. Got it." Then, he blinked. "Wait- public? Does that mean I ca-"

"-Thirdly." Qiaon was silenced by the other's growl, Arles's fangs now being displayed in their full glory, and Qiaon couldn't deny the slight fear and respect that the other demanded by his act of dominance and aggressiveness. "You have to swear that-" Arles paused in suspense, and Qiaon unconsciously held his breath as he waited for Arles's ultimatum.

"-you will _not_ wake me up with it."

Qiaon's mouth gaped in surprise.

"What?"

A gasp escaped him as he felt Arle's claws digging into his skin under the thin layer of fur- not quite enough to hurt, but enough for Qiaon to notice the additional pressure Arles applied.

"Swear it!"

"Alright! I swear I won't wake you up by tickling you!" Qiaon cried, somewhat desperately, and as soon as he said those words, Arles visibly relaxed; his canine teeth no longer showing as he sighed softly, presumably in relief. He then gently let go of Qiaon's shoulders and helped the other sit up. The redhead proceeded to stare in wonder at his blue counterpart, curious, yet slightly timid; he had thought that the other would surely ban him from ever tickling him again. Yet Arles hadn't stated so in any of his conditions...

"So-uh," Qiaon began, rather uncertainly. "Does that mean I can still- You know-"

"Yes." Arles finished for him, clearly annoyed, but nowhere near angry. When he saw that the redhead was still uncertain, he gently gathered the other into his arms, cradling him softly. He began to run his claws through the other's ruby pelt, petting him tenderly as he craned his neck and nipped at the skin and fur just below Qiaon's jawbone, where his head connected with the neck in a comforting manner and Qiaon could have been offended by how Arles was treating him as if he were such a fragile thing that could be broken ever so easily if he wasn't feeling so mellow from the other's actions.

"As long as you don't do it all the time... I don't mind." Arles mumbled softly into his fur, and Qiaon purred at the soft sigh of Arles's breath against his skin.

"I don't understand, though- I thought you wouldn't want me to do it ever again." The redhead spoke up when he had felt confident enough, still curious about Arles's decision.

Arles stopped in his ministrations at his question, perking his ears in acknowledgement as he proceeded to look at Qiaon's golden eyes with his own deep blue ones. "To be honest, I don't understand, either." Arles said thoughtfully as he traced the tip of one of his claws from Qiaon's face to the base of his neck lightly, his gaze then following the path that his claw had made. "But, I suppose... I don't mind. Because I see that it makes you happy, no matter how weird that sounds."

"Wow- Oh. _Wow_" Qiaon was beyond astonished by Arles's confession. "Oh, stop it, you. I swear- you don't have to do that. If you keep on being so nice to me- Damnit, you're going to make me blush."

"Hm." Arles said, absent-mindedly, as he resumed petting his hair. "It wouldn't go bad with your red fur."

Qiaon huffed and rolled his eyes at the other's remark- he wasn't entirely sure if Arles had just made a joke referring to the color of his pelt or not, but he figured that it was as close to a joke as it could get. "What about tickling you awake?" He asked, then. "Where did that come from?" He felt the hands holding him tense and tightened their grip, before relaxing again. "Well?" The redhead piped up again, when there was no response from the other.

"Maria used to do it to wake me up." Arles finally said, ears twitching, probably with slight annoyance at the memory. "It was the most miserable thing that I had experienced in my childhood." His answer was met with laughter, and Arles growled in agitation.

"Sorry- the way you said it just made it sound so funny." The redhead grinned, rubbing the side of his head into the crook of Arles's neck. "But yeah, I won't wake you up with it- you made me promise, after all."

"You better not!" Arles threatened. "Or you could just sleep alone on the bed for the next few months!"

"Yeah, yeah- I know." Qiaon said, somewhat breathlessly, before growing silent again, and the two of them just continued to sit there, in each other's embrace for the rest of the evening, unaware of another pair of bright, mischievious eyes staring at them, cunning and calculating...


End file.
